A Castle of Ebony Rewrite
by Lrenn
Summary: Ginny finds herself on a quest to find her father, only to be trapped by a hideous beast under an ancient spell...but the beast is somewhat familiar. After losing everything, will Gwen find the courage to risk falling in love with a beast?
1. Chapter 1

Hello all! This is A Castle of Ebony....rewritten, bigger, better, greater. Minor details - some characters have been removed and added, switched. And Gwen's name is now Ginny. If you've read this story before, and are looking for the same exact story...pay attention....there are huge differences. Hope you enjoy this one as much as the last!!! Also...I'm still rewriting The Secrets of Silver and A Fragile Thread of Gold. I haven't forgotten about them!! : )

~Lrenn...

* * *

**Chapter One**

The newly lain bluestone path sparkled with dew in the mid-morning light. Song birds chirped their songs from the surrounding trees. The sky shone blue and bright, giving no testament to the rainstorm that had raged the night before. Guinevere sighed her contentment as she turned her face to the pre-harvest sun and she made her way across the path.

"Ginny! Don't forget the nails for Papa!" her sister's voice rang out, shattering the serenity of the morning.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "I won't, Bella!" she called back just before she entered the strip of forest that secluded their cottage from the rest of the village. She waved behind her and ran on. She grinned, knowing her sister abhorred her wild behavior. To Bella's belief, young women of Ginny's age should no longer run or climb trees or jump rope, actions Ginny could never seem to avoid.

The walk to the village square was not long and before Ginny had time to delve too deeply into a daydream, she emerged from the forest path into bustling activity. Straightening the straw hat she'd plunked on her head earlier that morning, she made her way through the crowds. With a smile, she caught a friend's eye and hurried over to the stand.

"Get an early start today, Fallon?"

The small brunette sighed dramatically, leaning back against the wooden stand. "The earliest! We were the first out today." She yawned, her jaw cracking.

Ginny giggled. "Before I forget, do you have any nails?"

Fallon ran the back of her hand over her eyes before stepping back, taking inventor of the small stand. She reached below the counter. "Well, we've got…"

" 'ello, ladies."

The girls both turned to look. A tall black haired young man sauntered down the lane, chomping down on a hunk of steaming bread. Ginny hoped whatever he had in the pouch slung over his shoulder just happened to be as warm and bread-like as what he held in his hand. Her stomach grumbled, loudly reminding her she hadn't eaten breakfast and it was nearly time for a noon meal.

"No 'Good morning's for a fella?" His voice was rich and smooth, coming from deep in his chest.

Fallon shook her head with another yawn.

"Good morning, Dom," Ginny obliged. "And how are we this fine morning?"

Dom gave her a wink. "Dependable." Reaching into the pouch he produced two steaming rolls. "Fresh from the oven. Ma even sends a 'good morning' along with them.

The two girls laughed, taking the offered pastries. "You're mother just might have saved my life," Fallon sighed, sinking her teeth into the soft roll. "I didn't eaten breakfast."

"That's what I was counting on," Dom replied with a grin. He turned his gaze to Ginny. "I have to pick up some tools your father borrowed last week. I'll find you before you leave and I'll walk home with you."

Ginny nodded. "All right."

Not removing his gaze, he gestured down the lane. "I've got to head back. Ma's putting me back to work. I'll see you later. Don't forget." Ginny shook her head, promising she wouldn't. He bowed then, sweeping his hand out in pure jester form and the girls chorused a farewell as they watched him disappear into the growing crowds.

Ginny couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, that boy. He's funny."

Fallon shook her head. "I'd say he's quite smitten."

"Smitten? With you?"

Fallon raised a brow incredulously. "No, goose! With you! Please tell me you see it. It's too obvious to miss."

Ginny scoffed. "Dom and I are best friends. We aren't allowed to be sweet on each other.

"Dom doesn't feel that way."

Ginny threw her hands up, exasperated. "I need to get those nails for Papa. Do you have them, or do I need to take my business elsewhere?" she glared at her friend.

Fallon shrugged in surrender. "All right, we'll talk about something else." She placed a small carefully wrapped package of nails on the counter. "But I still maintain that you and Dom…"

Ginny made a move to leave, but Fallon grabbed her arm. "Okay. All right, we won't talk about it. I promise."

"Thank you," Ginny said with a scowl. She shoved the last of her bread into her mouth. Fallon turned the conversation to the approaching Beltene Festive. Soon, both girls were sighing with longing as they imagined jumping the flames of the bonfire with the man of their dreams.

* * *

After visiting with Fallon a while longer, Ginny browsed the shops along the square, still lost in daydreams of Beltene. The festival was approaching quickly, just a few days away. Her unmarried sisters were already scrambling to procure appropriate costumes. Gowns of light summer fabric, scarves for dancing, bright jewels to set in their hair to glitter against the firelight. All these to attract the attention of their one true love. Then should a man fancy them, together they would clasp hands and jump across the smoldering fire. If they arrived on the other side, hands still clasped, their future looked promising. Perhaps a wedding in the not too distant future. Of course it was just a legend, but sometimes…

A shopkeeper caught Ginny's attention, waving a deep purple scarf. The rich color caught her interest and she approached, fingering the soft material. Instantly, the woman held out a crimson scarf lined with imitation diamonds.

"Sure to catch your young man's eye," the old woman croaked.

Gwen started to shake her head, flipping a strand of her reddish hair over her shoulder. She shouldn't. There was no reason to. She didn't join in the fire rituals because she knew she was too young to settle down. She didn't want a husband…a family…not yet.

Unbidden, a vision of Dom appeared in her mind's eye. He smiled at her, his green eyes glowing black in firelight. He held out his hand and they were jumping over the fire…

"Are you actually going to dance this year, Ginny? Or are you picking one out for your sisters?"

Ginny whirled at the sound of Dom's chuckle. Her cheek burned. "I-I was just looking."

"Hmm," Dom moved closer, inspecting the cloths. "I don't think the red one will go well with your hair, nor the purple one." He held up the cloths to her deep auburn curls. "Definitely not." He picked up an emerald green scarf. "Ah, what about this one?"

Ginny shook her head. "Dom, no. You know I don't dance at the festivals. I have no need for scarves." She tried to keep the image of her and Dom out of her head. She shook her head, trying to clear her mind of the image.

Dom didn't seem to notice her dismay. "We'll take the green one and that cream colored one there. The one with the white stitching." He pulled a few coins out of his pocket and traded them for the cloths.

Ginny grabbed his arm to stop him. "Dom, no. Please. I can't…you can't."

Dom laughed, patting her hand as he would a child's. "Sweetheart, I can do anything I please. And I please to give these to you as a gift." When Ginny shook her head and backed away, he took her hand and placed the wrapped scarves in her hand. "You never know when you might want to dance and when you decide that day has come, you won't have to scurry around to find proper dancing scarves."

Curse Fallon for putting the thoughts of Dom attraction to her in her head. A shiver of delight had wound its way around her head when he'd called her sweetheart and it hadn't removed itself. With him so close, his hand covering hers, she felt positively odd.

Determined to get a hold of herself, she took her hand back, along with the packages. "Well, thank you, Dom, for being so practical."

Dom stepped back, his green eyes unreadable. "Are you ready to head home or do you have more shopping to do?"

She had completely forgotten about his offer to walk home with her. She pushed all uncomfortable thoughts out of her mind. This was Dom, she reminded herself. There's nothing awkward about walking home with him. They had done it hundreds of times.

"No, I'm finished. Let's go." They headed for the path that lead back home. He held an errant branch back to let her pass. They fell into what should have been a companionable silence. Ginny however, strove to find a way to rid herself of the tension she felt all the way down to her toes. "How's your sister, Dom? Did she have the baby yet?"

Dom grinned. "Yes, a strong, loud, healthy baby boy." He kicked a rock with his shoe. "Named him Joaquin." He grimaced and glanced up at the sky. "Hey, Ginny, it's still early. What do you say about a little swim in our pond?"

Ginny glanced over. The pond lay about twenty yards off the beaten path. Surrounded by brush, it was invisible to passersby, except by those who knew where to look. She shook her head, holding her father's package of nails. "No, Dom. I have to get back home. Bella will kill me if I come home soaked again." She sighed and began to move away. "Maybe tomorrow?" Ginny missed the mischievous twinkle in Dom's eyes, turning away just before he reached to grab the package from her hand.

."Dom!" she cried with a laugh. "Give it back!"

He jumped out of her way, grinning maniacally.

"If you were any other boy, I'd slap you!" Ginny scowled in mock anger and grabbed at the package.

"Aw, come on, Genie!" he pleaded. "Let's go swimming. Please?" He let his bottom lip protrude in a ridiculous pout.

Ginny gasped at the nickname. "You promised to stop calling me that! Now, I most certainly won't go swimming!" She lunged.

He shoved the package under a bush and scooped her up. He kept a tight hold on her as she cried out with laughter and struggled to loose herself from his grip. Dom walked over to the pond. Standing at the edge, he leaned over as much as he dared. As he bent forward she stopped struggling lest he drop her clothes and all into the water. She clung to his neck.

"How much do you love me, Ginny?" he teased.

"Lots and lots! Now put me down!"

Dom clicked his tongue against his teeth. "I don't like your tone, Genie," he said sadly.

"Stop that awful nickname, Dominic!" He dropped his arms slightly. "NO! Dom, I do! I promise, I do. Let me go and I'll love you forever!"

"Really?" He thought about it for a moment as she nodded vehemently. "Okay." Opening his arms, he dumped her into the pond.

Ginny came to the surface chocking and sputtering, her hair plastered to her face. Glaring at Dom, she wiped hair and water from her eyes. Sudden and sweet, a smile grew over her face. "Now, help me out. This water's freezing."

Dom shook his head. "You don't need help." He narrowed his eyes. "I don't like that smile."

Keeping her smile in place, she made a show of shivering wildly and clutching at the edge of the pond, forcing it to give way under her weight. "See?" she hunched her shoulders, trying to look at pathetic as possible.

He eyed her as he stepped closer and offered her a hand. Her sweet smile turned into a reckless grin and she gripped his wrist with both hands. Pulling with all her might, she hurled him over her head into the pond.

Dom came up with a scowl.

Ginny gasped. "Oh, no! You pushed me in first! You deserved it." She sent a wave of water in his direction. He ducked under the water, grabbing her ankle. She squealed with laughter. When Dom emerged she splashed him again and they laughed and splashed until the sun was high overhead.

* * *

"Dom!" Ginny cried a while later. "Look at the sun! Bella is going to kill me. I should have been home hours ago to help with dinner." She scrambled for the bank and tried to hurl herself out of the pond. The muddy bank gave way and she fell back. Dom caught her, his arms encircling her, hands wrapped securely around her forearms. For the space of five heartbeats she was all too aware of the hard muscular chest at her back and the strong arms supporting her.

"Don't be in such a hurry next time," Dom murmured in her ear. Her conversation with Fallon replayed itself in her mind. She twisted away, blushing furiously.

"Where did you put the package?" She searched in the brush for the nails.

"Hmm, I don't recall," he called, laughing, as he hoisted himself out of the pond.

"Dominic, this is not funny. Bella is going to murder me for being late, let alone swimming, when I was supposed to be helping her." She was harsher than she'd intended, but she couldn't seem to stop herself.

"All right, all right. It's right over here." Dom moved some brush aside and tossed the package to her.

She glared at him. Laughing at her annoyance, he dove back into the pond. Ginny shook her head over the arrogance of young men. She turned swiftly and walked down the path. When Dom didn't follow her, her scowl deepened. Was that scoundrel still swimming? She returned to the pond.

"Dom. Dom! Get out here." No answer. Not even a ripple on the surface to indicate life. "Dom?" She glanced around, her heart pounding. "Where are you? This is no time for jokes!" Only the birds answered. "Dominic!"

"RROOAARR!!"

Ginny screamed and fell backward toward the pool. Dom caught her arm and pulled her to him. Trembling, she clutched at his dripping shoulders. Remembering, she pulled away and punched his shoulder. The impact did little to eliminate the tingling sensation his skin had created against her fingers.

"Ouch! What was that for?"

"For scaring the life out of me! So help me, Dom, I'll hit you again."

"Okay, please, no more. My poor shoulder can only take so much." He held out a hand. "Truce?"

Ginny was skeptical. "No more pranks? You know, we aren't children anymore, Dom."

Something flickered in Dom's eyes. "No more pranks," he confirmed quietly. Ginny took his hand tentatively, removing the scowl from her pretty face. "Now," he continued, "let's get going. We can't have your sister killing you."

Ginny laughed, letting the tension melt away. She fell into step beside Dom, and they resumed their trek home.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"Guinevere! Swimming?" Ginny's second-eldest Bella, stood over her, her hands on her hips. "What am I going to do with you? You're nearly nineteen years old and you've ruined more clothes now than when you were younger." Bella grabbed a handful of Ginny' muddy and slightly torn skirt.

Ginny gritted her teeth, thankful that Dom had been able to retrieve the borrowed tool and head home before Bella's temper erupted. "Bella, it's just swimming. I didn't do anything wrong," she retorted.

Bella waved a finger at her. "I needed you here. Beltene is a huge festival and it requires a huge amount of food and preparation. Emma and I can't do it alone. You know Papa isn't going to help. We need you to pitch in, not go gallivanting through the forest as though you have no responsibilities."

Ginny sighed. It was an old argument, one she was not meant to win. Still holding the package of nails for her father, she turned, intent on heading to the barn.

"Don't you walk away from me, Guinevere," her sister snapped. "I'm not finished yet."

Clenching her teeth, Ginny fisted her free hand at her side and turned back around. She glared at Bella, just barely keeping her temper in check.

Bella must have sensed Ginny's inner struggle, for she narrowed her eyes and waved a dishtowel at her. "Don't give me an attitude." The older woman sighed. Shaking her head, she took up a freshly cleaned dish and began to wipe it dry. "If you were married right now, none of this would be happening," she muttered mournfully.

Any control Ginny had on her temper snapped. "Don't start that again." Her sister gave her an incredulous glance. "You aren't married and neither is Emma! How dare you try place that mantle on _my_ shoulders when you don't have a beau in sight!" Bella opened her mouth to reply but Ginny plowed through.

"What hypocrisy! Two of my older sisters are as of yet unmarried and still you insist I take vows you yourself haven't." Ginny took a breath.

Bella threw down the towel. "That is a choice both your sister and I made to help after Ma died. He can't run this place without our help. With the work load we took on there was no time for beaus or courtships." Ginny felt a twinge of guilt as tears formed in Bella's blue eyes. "Emma and I took on Ma's responsibilities so you wouldn't have to. So you could grow up with the freedom for things we never had."

Ginny sighed. "Bella, I'm not trying to make light of your sacrifices. But I am not you. I never had the same desires as you did. I don't want a husband right now. I don't want to cook and clean and run my own household. There are great things," she hurried on at the look on her sister's face, "Noble things. But not for me." She put a hand on Bella's arm and nudged her into a chair. Ginny sat down beside her. "Can't we come to some kind of truce?"

"A truce?"

Ginny nodded. "I'll help out more around the house, if you let me find a husband in my own time." Bella looked skeptical. "I promise, Bella. Let me be who I am, instead of forcing me into this mold that you seem to think I should be and I'll do my very best to help you and Emma."

Bella watched her carefully. Finally, with a sigh and a chagrined smile, she nodded. "All right, Ginny. We have a truce. Can I just ask one question before I let this all go?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Just one," she said.

"What about Dom?" Seeing Ginny's immediate exasperated glance, she continued. "I mean, you talk about him or to him all the time. You two are around each other nearly every day. You two seem to have fun together."

Ginny shook her head, vehemently. "He's my best friend. That's it."

Bella smiled at the younger girl's blush, wondering what thoughts were causing it. "All right. We'll leave this be for now." She stood, smoothing her apron. "I baked fresh cakes. I think I might have burned one or two. Taste them for me?"

"You know you can't win me over with food, right?"

Bella laughed. "I know." She uncovered a large plate and handed Ginny a large piece of chocolate cake.

Ginny took it grudgingly and nibbled contentedly on the soft substance.

"There now," Bella said, handing her a second plate. "Take these and those nails to your father. He should be in the barn."

* * *

Ginny found her father bend over a long table in the middle of his workshop, set up at the far end of the large barn. Pieces of metal and wood and various tools littered the work table and the floor around him. A large leather apron wrapped around and soot from the pot-bellied stove in the corner stained his breeches, cotton shirt, and streaked itself across his ruddy face.

"Afternoon, Papa," she called.

Pierre glanced up from his work. "Good afternoon. Did you get those nails I asked for?"

She grinned and held out the package. Pierre gladly took them as Ginny glanced around. "Do you need some help?" she asked after a moment.

"What do you think, Ginny?" Pierre ignored her question and put down his tools, and slid out of his apron. The outline of soot on his breeches made her smile. She glanced over, following the line of his arm to where he pointed. She gasped with delight.

"Papa, it's beautiful!" Before her sat a finely crafted cradle with a curved bottom and intricately carved designs running along the sides and footboards. Pride in her father's work rose in her chest.

"I just finished shining it," he said, his chest puffed with pride of his own. "It's for your sister Merry. Due to have that baby any time now, remember? Yeah, I'll head over there next week about. Leaving right after Beltane. Time for a visit."

Ginny nodded. "She'll love it. The baby too."

Pierre shook off her praise. "Is it time for dinner yet? I'm starved. Why don't you head into the house and help your sisters?"

Ginny knew a dismissal when she heard one, and with a kiss to her father's cheek, headed back to the cottage.

* * *

The first day of the week long Beltene Festival dawned bright and clear. Ginny was up at dawn with Emma and Bella preparing the last of the food and helping her sisters put the finishing touches on the gown they had made. As she was stitching a last bit of hem into Emma's gown, she felt an inexplicable longing to wear a dress of her own.

Biting her lip, she looked over at her third-eldest sister. "Emma?"

The brunette didn't glance up from her own stitching. "Yes?"

Ginny opened her mouth to speak but closed it a moment later. She had refused to wear a Beltene gown for so long, what her sisters think of her sudden interest? They would pepper her with questions she had no desire to answer, muse over which young man she'd developed feelings for, or aw and ooh over her until her ears bled.

"Yes, Ginny?"

She swallowed hard at the stare her sister fixed on her. She took a breath. "I want to borrow a dress for Beltene." The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. Red bloomed on her cheeks.

Emma raised a brow. "What an interesting request from one so opposed to the feminine wiles of Beltene. Why?"

Ginny's blush deepened. "I just want to wear one," she mumbled.

Emma noticed her embarrassment and bit her tongue. "I have a dress you can borrow. I outgrew it a few years ago but it's still in good shape. Come." She put down her stitching and headed for her room at the back of the cottage. Ginny hurried to follow. Emma opened her large wardrobe and began pushing dresses and gowns aside. Ginny was struck by how many her sister had managed to accumulate. She spoke her thought aloud.

Emma just nodded. "A lot of them were given to me," was all she said. Reaching far back into the wardrobe, she grunted once and stretched before pulling out a beautiful dark blue and cream colored gown. She brushed at the skirt a bit, discarding a few mothballs before laying it out on the bed for Ginny to see.

The detail on the gown was exquisite. Gold spirals and loops had been hand stitched along the hem and the edges of the slashed sleeves and down the edges of the split skirt. Hints of gold in the cream underskirt caught the sunlight, dazzling Ginny. She reached out a hand to trail her fingers down the soft fabric.

"It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," she whispered.

Emma's smile was sad as she replied, "Mother made it for Merry's sixteenth birthday. She passed it onto Bella. Bella passed it onto me."

Ginny looked up in surprise. "Oh, Emma." She shook her head, looking longingly back at the gown. "I can't wear this one. You must have another."

Emma placed a slender hand on her sister's arm. "Ginny, I want you to have it. Mother would have wanted it. I should have given it to you for your sixteenth, but I have to admit, I was a little selfish."

Ginny closed her eyes against the tears that welled. Their mother had died giving birth to her. Knowing she had been the cause of her mother's death had troubled her for years. The sharpness of the pain had dulled somewhat, but every now and again, Ginny, and she knew her sisters did as well, missed her mother she had never known more than life itself.

"Are you sure, Emma? I don't want to take such an important thing away from you." She reached out and took the older girl's hand.

Emma smiled. "You're not taking it away from me. I'm giving it to you. You'll look beautiful tonight. Whichever young man you seek to gain attention from will surely fall under your spell!"  
Ginny gasped. "I'm not…" But Emma cut her off, laughing.

"After supper, Bella and I will help you get ready. We'll make you the Belle of Beltene! Every young man, whether you want them or not, will fall at your feet by midnight."

Ginny took the dress from the bed, fingering the soft material. She managed a small smile. "Thanks, Emma."

Emma nodded. "We'll find you a man. Just watch." With a matter-of-fact grin she pushed Ginny out of her bedroom with a command to try the dress on and get ready for festival.

* * *

Ginny wished she hadn't worn the dress. With the holiday came Dom. With Dom came emotions and feelings she didn't understand. Just a week ago, she had seen Dom as nothing more than a brother, and now all she wanted to for him to wrap her in his arms, kiss her breathless, and never let go.

She didn't have much time to dwell on the feelings muddling around in the pit of her stomach. Dom's sisters quickly cornered Ginny on a log at the rim of large bonfire, bursting with gossip. She focused on the meaningless chatter, wiling away the hours, hoping from the bottom of her heart that Dom had noticed the dress, noticed the way she'd pinned her hair up. She tried to keep her distance, but something in her called to him. She wanted to be close to him, closer than their friendship had afforded.

She caught Dom's gaze every now and again. Each time she strived for a light and airy mood. So she'd grin and roll her eyes. He would smile back and she'd drag her gaze from his.

The night was filled with dancing and laughter to celebrate a successful harvest. When the group gathered around the dwindling bonfire an hour or two after midnight, Ginny realized that she was enjoying herself. Until Dom's youngest sister suggested that all the young adults perform 'the jump.'

Ginny blanched when she heard the suggestion. She'd avoided the ritual for years. Twice a year, mid-spring and mid-autumn, a young man would seize the girl he loved by the hand and together they would make the jump over low burning coals. If they landed on the other side, still holding hands, their life would be one of prosperity and many healthy children. If their grasp broke, their relationship wasn't meant to be.

It was a stupid silly superstition, one that Ginny didn't share. But…still…one could never be too sure. No, she didn't want to risk it.

Bella clapped her hands. "That sounds like a wonderful idea." The group laughed at her enthusiasm. Ginny caught Dom's gaze. The low burning flame turned his skin a most appealing bronze and his dark eyes glittered with an emotion Ginny didn't want to recognize. It was better just to ignore it, but her gaze remained locked with Dom's until suddenly he was standing before her. He held out a hand.

"Will you jump with me, Ginny?"

Her heart jumped. Did this mean Fallon was right? Did Dom have feelings for her? Did she return those feelings? Or was this all a big misunderstanding?

She started to shake her head, but found her hand already clasped in Dom's as he led her to join the other young couples. She tugged on Dom's hand. "Dom, I don't know," she whispered.

Dom gave her hand a comforting squeeze. "Don't worry, Ginny. It's just a silly ritual." The carefree tone of his voice set Ginny at ease. So Dom didn't put much store in rituals either.

There was still time to stop this. "Dom!"

Dom grinned, bending closer to whisper in her ear. "Come on, Ginny. It'll be fun. I haven't hung out with you all night and now that we get a chance to do something interesting, you're backing out?"

Ginny couldn't stop that the smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth. She took a deep breath. "Alright."

"Here we go." Dom winked at her and they approached the flamed. Dom squeezed her hand and they began to run. Suddenly they were in the air, passing over the warm glow of the coals. Ginny was unaware of anything but the pressure of Dom's hand in hers in that moment of weightlessness. Suddenly, the ground came rushing up to meet them.

Ginny hit the ground and stumbled, but Dom never let go of her hand and pulled her up against him. He steadied her on her feet before placing a firm kiss on her hand, triumph glittering in his eyes. He turned to the crowd and held their clasped hands high.

* * *

The rest of the evening continued without incident well into the night. The full moon above and the warmth of the fires around them mixed with the incense and spices thrown into the wind provided quite a heady atmosphere. Sitting off to the side, Dom couldn't take his eyes from Ginny. When she took the pins from her hair and let it fall down her back, he had nearly been undone. She was beautiful. He lost his breath every time she danced near him. Her long dark hair shimmed in waves almost to her waist. The fabric of her dress caught the glow of the coals until she looked more a heavenly being than one whose feet are tied to earth. Her skirts billowed gracefully as she spun and dipped, clinging to her form.

Their hands had held. They were destined for a life together.

Dom tried to stifle his grin, but to no avail. He wasn't one for superstition, but living the rest of his days with Ginny by his side was an option he was not going to let slip him by. He'd tried over the last few years to show her how much he loved her, how much he cared. But Ginny wouldn't see it.

But Dom was a patient man. He would wait. As long as it took. He sat and watched her as she spun and kicked her feet high, laughing and singing. Her gaze glanced his and a smile lit her eyes.

Dom stood and went to her immediately. He held out his hand and without hesitation she gave him hers. The look in her eyes sent shivers down his spine. Did she finally feel the way he did? But she blinked, and then it was gone. She staggered a bit and caught fast to his arms, giggling. He hook his arm around her waist to steady her. She leaned into him and suddenly her arms were around his neck.

His heart pounded in his chest as he drew his face closer to hers.

"I'm really tired," she said.

Dom swallowed, feeling as though a bucket of cold water had been thrown over his head. "What…" He sighed, seeing the half-glazed look in eye. It was nearly dawn. The girl was exhausted. "Come on," he said, pulling away a little. "Let's get you home."

"I'd like that."Ginny stumbled. Dom closed his eyes, his arm tightening on her waist. He swallowed hard as she fell against him. "Thank you," she whispered.

Dom nodded and helped lead her home.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Ginny woke up the next morning, just before noon, with a splitting headache. _Too much ale,_ she thought grimly, as she pulled herself out of bed. Squinting in the light that streamed in through the window, the events of last night came rushing back. She gasped, remembering asking her sister for a dress, the look in Dom's eyes as they had jumped over the fire and held their hands high. Dancing and drinking and singing at the top of her lungs. She had lost all of her inhibitions last night. She'd stared at Dom and he'd stared right back. She'd let down her hair, hoping he would notice.

She slapped a hand to her forehead. She was such an idiot! She practically threw herself at him! Disgusted, she threw on a clean dress, pulled her hair back with a kerchief and vowed to avoid Dom at all costs. What must he think of her?

"Bella?" she called, stomping down the stairs. "Bella?"

Her sister stuck her head into the hallway. "Shush, Ginny. Emma's still asleep."

"Not anymore," Emma said wryly from the top of the stair.

"Where's Papa?" Ginny asked, ignoring them both.

Bella gestured outside. "He's packing up Merry's gift."  
"Is he leaving?"

"Didn't you know?" Emma asked, passing her on the stair. "He's been talking about it all week."

Ginny frowned, blushing. "I guess I forgot. I've been a little distracted." Her sisters exchanged knowing glances. She grabbed her cloak and scarf. "I'll be with Papa. Just call if you need me."

"Wait," Bella called after her. "I need your help."  
Ginny paused, fighting back her irritation. "With what?"

"We're having Dom and his family over for supper. They'll be here shortly."

Ginny blanched. "They're coming here for supper?"

Bella raised a brow. "Yes. I need you to make the salad and cut the potatoes. Emma, can you go to the cellar and grab a few jars of that jam we canned last summer? I'd like to send Merry a jar or two with Papa."

Ginny sighed, clenching her fists as her stomach curled into knots. So much for avoiding Dom. Fighting back the butterflies raging through chest, she hung her cloak back up and followed Bella into the kitchen.

* * *

Dom and his family arrived not an hour later. Ginny kept her back to them as they entered, focusing on the boiling potatoes in the wrought iron pot over the fire. Her heart pounded as she heard Dom's voice. He inquired after her and she silently cursed Emma for showing him to the kitchen. Her heart hammered in time with his footsteps. She knew the instant he entered the room.

"Ginny?"

She tensed and stopped stirring the potatoes. Straightening, she spun slowly, trying to keep a nauseous expression from her face. She tried to smile, but she was sure it looked more like a grimace. "Yes?"

Dom frowned as he smiled. "Are you all right?"

Ginny nodded. "Just tired. Up late last night." The two stood facing each other a few silent minutes.

He cleared his throat and gestured outside. "Can I talk to you? Outside?"

Ginny's heart sank to her stomach. "Oh, sure," she said, her voice too high-pitched to sound normal. She followed him outside. Blast! What was wrong with her? This was Dom. Her best friend. She'd grown up with him. She's laughed with him. Danced with him. Jumped the logs of Beltane…She shut her eyes tight, dispelling the memories. Why, if she didn't know any better, she might she could be in love…

She stopped short. In love? In _love?_ With Dom?

Dom turned. Ginny stood wide-eyed and open-mouthed at the threshold of her home. "Ginny, are you all right?"

"Yes," she said breathlessly. She blinked and joined him. He watched her swallow. "What did you want to talk about?"

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Well…I…" He met her gaze and was struck by the intensity of her stare. Her grey eyes glowed silver and burned with a mixture of fear and hunger. He suddenly found it hard to breathe. "Ginny…"

She stepped closer. "Yes?"

He shivered as he felt her breath on his cheek. "I'm…not very good at this." He raised a hand and brushed her cheek. "Last night, when we …"

"Jumped over the embers…"

Dom nodded. "You know I don't hold to old superstitions, but…I…" He sighed. He was stuttering all over the place. He was making a mess of this. He'd come with the intention of declaring himself, telling Ginny exactly how he felt about her. After last night, he'd felt it was the right move to make. And now, with her staring up at him like that, with her so close…

"Ginny, I love you." The words burst from his mouth of their own accord. He blushed and turned away. He was such an imbecile! What would she think of him? He felt her hand on his arm and fought the urge to pull away. He turned to face her. And she kissed him.

Dom sucked in a breath in surprise as her lips met his. He felt her hesitate. He leaned in to deepen the kiss. Hot sweetness ran down his middle as he slid his hand down the side of her neck, his thumb caressing her jaw. Dimly, he felt her arms slide up around his neck and he wrapped his other arm around her waist. It seemed like hours before Ginny pulled back for breath. When she did she stepped back quickly, as if she'd just realized what she'd done.

"I-I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Dom. I…" Ginny pressed her hands to her cheeks.

Dom shook his head with a smile. "Do you know how long I've waited to do that?"

Ginny tried to slow her breathing. "I don't know what I'm doing."

He stepped closer. "I do." He bent his head to kiss her again.

* * *

Pierre left for the capital of Dkarith later that afternoon. He left with Dom's elder brother, Luka. Ginny slipped her hand through Dom's as she waved good-bye.

"Dom, I don't know about this."

He shrugged, shading his eyes against the bright harvest sun. "He'll only be gone a couple weeks."

"No," she said, turning to him. "Not that. I mean…us."

"Us?"

She sighed. "It's all so sudden. I mean, one day we're nothing but friends and then suddenly…we're this!"  
"And what exactly is 'this'?" he chuckled.

Ginny blushed, looking away. She pursed her lips. "I don't know."

Dom turned her to face him. "Ginny. I love you. I have loved you since…" he shook his head with a smile, "I can't even give you a starting point. It seems I always have."

The look in his eyes sent unfamiliar shivers through her. "Dom…I…"

"It's all right if you don't love me back." He smiled, his eyes warming. "I'm a patient man."

Ginny swallowed. She did love him, didn't she?

"We're still friends, Ginny. That hasn't changed."

Everything has changed, she thought wryly.

"I would like more than friendship. One day. For now?" He shrugged. "I content to simply hold you in my arms."And he did exactly that. As Ginny wrapped her arms around him, she felt his heart beat in time with hers, wild, strong, together. Slowly, as their heartbeats slowed, Ginny opened her own heart to the possibility to a permanent life with Dom. Her best friend. The man who loved her. The man she had been falling in love with for quite some time.

* * *

Nearly a week passed. Dom visited each day and he and Ginny spoke of things she had only dreamed of. Ginny was amazed to find out just how long Dom had loved her. He didn't seem surprised at all that it had taken her years to reciprocate his feelings. They were just returning from a walk the morning of the sixth day when frantic hoof beats drew their attention. Luka, grim and weary, hadn't stopped his horse before he was on the ground running toward the house. "Where's Bella?" he cried.

Ginny stood and hurried into the house, calling for her sister. She heard Dom outside questioning his brother.

"What is it, Ginny?" Bella came down the stairs in a rush. "What's wrong?" Ginny grabbed her hand and pulled her outside just as Luka's face fell and he pushed Dom aside and rushed toward Bella. He grabbed her shoulders. "Where's Pierre? Is he here? Where is he?"

Bella drew back. "What are you talking about, Luka? He went to visit my sister. You went with him."

"He's not here?" Luka's eyes widened. Bella shook her head. Ginny glanced at Dom. He spread his hands and shrugged.

"Luka," Dom stepped up, "what is this about?"

"Pierre…never made it to the capitol."

Ginny gasped.

"What's going on?" Emma stepped from the house. Dom went to her.

"Your father is missing," he said gently. Emma stared at him for a moment before joining her sisters.

"You went with him," Emma cried. "How could you possibly not know where he is?"

Luka held out his hands, palms up, pleading. "We split up about halfway there, past Fairview Falls. He went on toward the capitol, I…"

"What?" Ginny asked. "Where did you go?" Dom placed a strong calming hand on her shoulder.

Luka glanced at her with tortured eyes. "I went to visit…a friend…"

"What…" Bella started.

"I went to visit Ane, all right? Ane," Luka shouted. He buried his face in his hands. "I'm sorry."

"Who's Ane?" Bella countered.

Dom looked at his brother who seemed incapable of answering and sighed. "Ane is the mother of Luka's son."

"You're a father?" Emma asked, shocked.

"She and Luka, well, had an affair years ago." Dom took Emma's arm. "Ma doesn't know. No one knows."

"I went to visit her. I haven't seen my son in months." Luka pleaded with them to understand. "Pierre was supposed to meet me just outside the capitol and we'd finish the journey together. I waited two whole days. He never showed up. So I backtracked the road he would have taken." He looked from Ginny to Bella to Emma and back again. "I looked everywhere for him. I couldn't find him, not even a trace."

"So, what? He just vanished into the thin air?" Bella glared at him. She violently shrugged off the hand Ginny placed on her shoulder.

A tear slid down Luka's ruddy face. "Bella, I don't know."

* * *

"I'll send a letter to Merry. She's bound to start wondering when Papa doesn't show up." Bella's hand shook as her hand poured coffee for Dom, his brother, and her sisters.

Ginny paced back and forth, biting her nails. Her heart pounded painfully in her chest. "Someone has to go after him."

"I'll go again," Luka spoke up. "He was my responsibility."

Emma shook her head. "You're exhausted, Luka," she said, noting the trembling of his hands and the droop of his eyelids. "We don't expect you to go after him again." Ginny noticed she hadn't mentioned anything about Pierre _not _being Luka's responsibility. She glanced at Dom to find him watching her with solemn eyes. She sat down heavily next to him.

"Merry's husband might be able to do something," Dom said, taking Ginny's hand.

"There's got to be something we can do, that _I _can do besides sit here and cry!" she cried.

Dom winced at the frustration, the fear in her voice, feelings that matched his own. He wrapped his free arm around her shoulders. Shaking, she leaned into his embrace. He closed his eyes and rested his lips against her hair. Suddenly, he was hit with an idea.

Without pulling away, he murmured, "I'll go."

Bella shook her head.

"No," cried Emma.

Luke scoffed. "What can you do that I can't?"

Ginny pushed herself out of his embrace. She stood, sniffling, and waving her arms emphatically. "No. Don't you know how dangerous that would be? Traveling alone for days in the middle of the woods?"

Dom frowned. "I can take the exact route your father took, retracing his footsteps."

Bella shook her head and spoke before Ginny could answer. "No, Dom. Please. What if you get lost too?"

"What if something happens to you?" Ginny cried. Her voice strained past the lump in her throat."

Dom stood and went to her, taking her hands between his own. "Ginny, I know I can find him. No offense, Luka," he turned to his brother, "I'm a better tracker than you. You might have missed something."

Luka scowled. "I'm not that bad."

Dom ignored him and brushed a stray hair back from her eyes. "I'll find him," he said with as much conviction as he could muster. "I promise."

Ginny stared up at him. His green eyes bore into hers and Ginny couldn't think past the tingle of his hands against hers. She didn't see the look Bella exchanged with Emma. She swallowed hard and nodded. A single tear trailed down her cheek.

Dom brushed it away with his thumb. "I'll leave at dawn." He embraced her, placing his lips closer to her ear. "Meet me behind your father's workshop then," he whispered so only she could hear. "No one needs to know."

Ginny nodded reluctantly and hugged him fiercely in return. She buried her face in his neck and tried to stifle the tears that simmered just beneath the surface.

* * *

Dawn came too early for Ginny. She was already wide awake as the first rays of light spilled over the valley and surrounding forests. She groaned softly and pushed back her coverlet, placing her feet on the cold wooden floor. Dressing quietly, she made her way to the kitchen, passing her sisters' rooms with silent feet. Grabbing the saddlebags she had hidden underneath the stove, she filled it with bread, cheese, dried fruit, and a large water skein. She packed the last of it and ran to her father's workshop.

Dom was waiting silently for her, grooming his family's gelding in the cool light of the morning. She reached him winded and tense. The saddlebag bulged with its contents. He grinned at the sight of her. As she neared, however, she saw the anxiety in his green eyes and the frown in his forehead.

He gestured toward the saddlebag. "You expecting me to be gone a year?"

She blushed. "I didn't know how long you'd be gone." She handed it to him. "I think I packed the entire kitchen." She tried to force a smile.

"I won't be long," he said, striving for optimism. He cleared his throat and put the curry comb away and finished saddling the horse. Turning back to her, he sighed. The look on her face just about broke his heart. She was depending on him and desperately afraid of losing him as well.

"I'll bring him back, Ginny. I promised remember?" He held out his arms and she went into them gratefully. When he pulled away, the look in his eyes made her breathless. "I'll be back soon. With Pierre." Watching her face intently for a moment, he suddenly leaned forward and kissed her on the mouth. Her heart pounded as she clung to him.

He kissed her again, then pulled away abruptly. Ginny felt the loss until he looked back over his shoulder at her and his gaze connected with her. She felt a warm curl in her stomach as she realized he had broken their kiss because if he hadn't, he never would have left.

Mounting his horse, he looked back at her as the animal pranced nervously. "I love you." With a soft _hiya_ he kneed the horse and cantered swiftly into the forest, down the same path Pierre had taken just days ago. Ginny watched him go, left with much more than her missing father to think about.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Dom stopped only once to eat that morning. The small waterfall he found gave off a refreshing spray, cooling him against the unusually hot autumn sun. He tethered his gelding, and took a seat at the small pool at the base of the waterfall. He dug into the saddlebag Ginny had given him. With each bite he took of dried fruit or cheese, he felt the weight of his hasty decision.

Doubt seized his very being. What was he doing? He'd felt so confident last night as he reassured Ginny of his ability to find her father. But Pierre could be anywhere! And Dom was just supposed to scour the countryside? What a wild goose chase!

What if Pierre made his way home on his own? How would Ginny get word to him way out here in the wilderness? He could be out here for months and never see another living soul. He bit into an orange, bitterness filling his mouth. _Stop it!_ he scolded himself. It was only a four day journey to the other side of the forest. He'd start looking at the point where Luka said he'd parted ways with Pierre. If he had to, he could stop for supplied or even trek back to Ginny.

Oh Ginny. He had loved Ginny since they were children. He couldn't pinpoint the exact moment he'd recognize his feelings for what they were, but he loved her more than his own life. He'd do anything for her. She had never given any evidence that she'd felt the same. Until two weeks ago. The last few days had given Dom hope that might still be able to forge a life together.

Dom put a hand to his mouth, where Ginny's taste still lingered. Things were finally going the way he had hoped, the way he'd been dreaming for years and now he was miles away from it all! Dom sighed and finished his meal. Ginny was counting on him to find her father. No sense in dwelling on what could only be solved once his mission was over.

Mounting his gelding once again, he cantered swiftly through the dense forest. His father was forever warning against it, but he knew this forest almost as well as he knew his own lands. He was still a good day's ride from where he thought to begin his search. Stopping only once in late afternoon by a small stream to refresh his horse, he couldn't help but notice the air was becoming increasingly oppressive the farther he traveled through the trees. He traveled quietly and much more slowly. Not an hour later, something like fear prickled on the back of his neck. He reigned in his horse and dismounted. Something wasn't right.

Not a sound echoed in the trees. He hardly dared to breathe. Everywhere he looked, not a animal stirred, not an bird sang. The trees blew in the wind, but Dom could feel no breeze. The sun gleamed through the branches, but created no shadows. Fear slid down his spine. The forest was deathly beautiful in this distorted reality.

He shook his head, trying to clear the fuzziness. At the back of his mind a sharp ringing pierced his hearing. A branch snapped, sharp and harsh against the silence. Suddenly alert, he spun around. Voices drifted through the branches, from all around. They whispered around him with words he couldn't understand.

Dom gasped and stumbled back, tripping over a fallen log. He landed on the ground with a crash. The trees waving in a cooling breeze just moments ago, suddenly froze. A fog rolled in, spreading its gray cold finger through the forest, around Dom, covering the sky.

His gelding snorted and reared in protest. The reins were torn from his hands. Cursing under his breath, Dom tried to follow the horse but found his legs too heavy to move. He lay there in the dirt, breathing heavily as fear pinpricked his very soul. The forest. Air changed subtly. A heavy loneliness permeated the air, leaving and ominous blanket of fear across the forest canopy. A sound like the tinkling of bells and rushing water echoed in his brain. And then there was silence. It was as if he hadn't heard anything at all.

The sun suddenly dipped and glared Dom in the face. He jerked back, found he could move again, and scrambled away until his back was up against a tree. The light followed closely, so close he could reach out and touch it.

As quickly as it had appeared, the light was gone and a woman, the tallest woman he had ever seen, stood before him.

"Who…who are you?" he hissed after a moment. Snow began to fall. _It's too early for snow,_ he thought faintly.

The woman smiled as if she had heard his thoughts. Her skin was white, perfectly white. Too perfect to be human. Her full lips were as blood red as the deepest rose. Her blonde hair, blowing in a wind Dom couldn't feel, fell almost to the ground and her sapphire eyes pierced him.

Dom raised a trembling hand to shield his eyes against the light that flowed from her. "I came looking for a man. Pierre. He came this way."

The woman raised a single thin brow. "An old man passed this way not too long ago." Her voice sounded like rocks beaten by ocean waves. "Perhaps it is he for whom you search."

Dom stared wide-eyed, trembling. "Where is he?"

"You are a stranger here. Why should I give you what you seek?"

He barely noticed the humor in her voice. "I have to find him."

The woman held out a hand. Green light streamed from her fingertips, colliding with Dom's body. The light flowed through his skin, his eyes, into his nose and mouth until he couldn't breathe. He gasped and choked. The woman gripped his chin with her long fingers and held it fast, forcing him to look into her eyes.

"Three thousand years i have guarded this land," she cried, her eyes blazing, "guarding Ethane, the land of Eden, from the evil of this world. But the time has come for the One Who Will Save. The One who will bring Ethane back to her former glory. He has come," she added in a whisper. Her words sank into his bones. His eyes nearly went blind from staring at her so long.

She reached with her free hand to stroke Dom's hair. Shards of pain slashed his body from head to toe. "He has come." She looked him over, an odd frightening look in her eye. "Unfortunately, I have no way of knowing for sure," she said almost to herself. "I have had to watch as my country lay in the forgotten backwoods of Dkarith, without a king, my people scattered and leaderless. Many have undergone the test. All of them have failed. Now, the One approaches. The One who will unite them once again. Will you fail me too?"

There was a sadness in her voice , as Dom pressed as far back as he could, fighting the fog that threatened to envelope him. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He'd heard tales of this forest, of forest fairies, of a long forgotten kingdom, but they were bedtime stories to scare children.

The woman tightened her grip, the subsequent jolt of pain forcing all other thought from his mind. Energy flowed from her hand. He writhed in pain. It was eating him alive! Unbearable pain flowed through his body, tearing, wrenching, distorting. As the pain finally, blessedly, flowed away, Dom opened his eyes, his sight blurred by tears. The woman stood tall, still, commanding over him, holding out a long-stemmed blood red rose.

"This I give you," she said softly. "I charge you with this perfect rose, the symbol of my beloved Ethane. In protecting this rose, you protect my country. Fail," she grabbed his chin. "and I will make you suffer one thousand fold." She shoved him away. Dom watched her, dazed and trembling with pain. "The rose will wither when one of true blood draws near, for then your test truly begins."

She touched his forehead with one finger. Exhaustion overtook Dom and he slumped forward. He blinked once, twice, staring helplessly at the woman. His vision began to swim, his mind dulled. She continued to speak and he struggled to pay attention. He caught her last words and they sent shivers down his spine just before everything went black.

"That is your true test. Unless you find one who is willing to love a beast, to lose everything in favor of love, you will forever remain a beast, and Eden will be lost forever."

* * *

Ginny paced the kitchen, biting her nails. She snapped her fingers. She sat for a moment, tapping her toes before getting up to pace once more.

"Ginny," Bella spoke firmly. "Stop pacing. You're making me dizzy."

"Sorry," Ginny muttered, already on her way out of the kitchen. Ginny tried the parlor, but Emma was in there sewing. Her bedroom felt too confining, and she didn't dare go to her father's workshop. Too many memories.

Ginny groaned, clenching her fists. She had so much energy she felt as though she might combust! Steeling herself with a sigh, she removed herself from the house and walked steadily toward the last place she'd seen Dom. He'd been gone for two days. It wasn't an overly long time, but she was reaching the end of her patience. She couldn't push away the nagging worry, the feeling that something was horribly wrong. Her sisters told her she was imagining it. That they were sure Dom and their father could walk out of the woods, unscathed, at any time.

Behind her father's workshop, the brushes he had used to groom his family horse still in the basket against the wall where he had left them. Ginny hadn't remembered to put them away. She picked up the last brush she'd seen him touch. Running her hands along the handle, she strained for the feel of his skin against her. When she realized what she was doing, she scoffed at herself, disgusted. She flung the brush away.

Dom wasn't in a stupid curry comb! Ginny sighed, sliding to the ground. Leaning her head back against workshop wall, she closed her eyes and ran her hand along the grass. The dry stalks tickled her palm. Her eyes still closed, she moved her hand to her mouth, still able to feel Dom's kisses.

The crashing of branches caught her attention. Something big was scrambling through the woods. Dom!

Ginny scrambles to her feet. The sound of pounding hooves grew until suddenly Dom's gelding burst through the tree line. The horse's hide was scratched and torn and he was visibly shaking with exhaustion and terror. The saddle hung askew, limp and broken.

"Dom!" Ginny cried in alarm. Where was he? The gelding snorted, stamping to a halt a few feet from where she stood. Biting her lip, Ginny forced herself to calm down. There was no good in frightening an already terrified horse.

"Shh, boy." She clicked her tongue, soothing the horse with her words until he let her get close enough to touch. Something terrible had happened. "Easy, boy. Easy." Letting him sniff her palm, Ginny unbuckled the saddle and let it drop to the ground. The horse shivered, his skin rippling. Ginny felt her knees go weak. Dom could be hurt. He could lying dead somewhere!

Without hesitation, she mounted Dom's gelding and gathered the broken reins, urging the horse back into the forest.

* * *

Bella glanced in Pierre's workshop. Ginny wasn't there either. She'd searched the kitchen, the bedroom, the bathhouse. Her youngest sister was nowhere to be found.

"Bella?"

"Yes, Emma?" She turned, closing the workshop door.

Emma approached, wiping her hands on her apron. "Do you have any idea where she could have gone?"

Bella shook her head. "She didn't leave a note. I haven't seen her since this morning. She seemed really nervous about something."

"It thought I heard hoof beats a few minutes ago, but I haven't seen any horses." Emma sighed. "I'll check around back. Maybe she fell asleep or something."

Bella sighed. "I'll check the house once more."

Emma walked around to the back of the workshop, shadowed by bordering forest. "Ginny?" Her sister was nowhere to be found. Glancing around, Emma noticed the pile of grooming brushes sitting quietly against the workshop wall. But it was the ripped and severely damaged saddle that lay in a heap beside them that sent a jolt of alarm through her. "GINNY!"Emma ran back to the house. She called for Bella who appeared, wide-eyed with unease.

Emma tried to catch her breath. "Ginny's gone."

* * *

Ginny gazed nervously at the dark clouds swirling and rumbling overhead. Gritting her teeth, she moved Dom's gelding away from the small waterfall. Dom had come this way. Remnants of a lunch swiftly eaten sat on a boulder not far away. Urging the horse on down the path, she shivered.

She hated the cold and she hated being wet. Scolding herself for not remembering to bring a cloak, she reached for her saddlebags, only to remember she hadn't brought any. She groaned as the first raindrop fell.

Steeling herself, she took a deep breath. Dom had come this way. Dom. Her best friend. The man she loved. Again, she recalled Dom's kisses and how wonderful it felt to be in his arms. Shaking her head, she tried to put those thoughts out of her mind. She had more important things to think about than her memories. She clucked the gelding and the faithful horse quickened his pace. With the sun sinking lower in the sky, they needed to find a place to stay for the night.

Ginny glanced around. A willow tree would be nice. Or a big pine tree. An abandoned cottage would have been better. Heck, an occupied cottage would do, but Ginny hadn't heard that anyone lived this far into the forest.

She continued on. Hours later, soaked, hungry, miserable, the horse stopped quietly. Half asleep, Ginny jolted awake and nearly slid from the horse's back. Wiping her eyes, she glanced around and gasped.

Several yards in front of her stood a thick iron gate, at least twenty feet tall and twice as wide. A black foreboding castle gleamed in the fading sunlight. Luminous gray clouds spiraled from the tallest tower as lightening pierced the air. However, there was no thunder to accompany it.

Ginny suddenly realized she sat cocooned in silence. Her breathing sounded harsh and extreme in the silence. Rain fell all around them, but there was no sound. Lightening illuminated the castle again and again, like dark gem against a cobalt sky. Fear shivered down her spine.

It felt like an eternity, but slowly, as quietly as she could, she slid from the horse's back and moved cautiously toward the iron gate. Hesitantly, she wrapped her hands around two bars. She leaned in as close as she dared and looked around, her heart pounding.

_Maybe I can get inside and dry off. _ For all appearances, the castle looked deserted. Struck with a thought, she hurriedly looked for a lock. _Maybe Dom was inside! _If he had traveled this way… Looking for a lock, her heart sank. A large padlock sat stoic and severe several yards out of her reach. Hoof beats sounded suddenly behind her and she turned just in time to see Dom's horse disappear into the woods. Panic seized her. She was alone.

Forcing herself to breath, Ginny wiped the rain out of her eyes, just barely getting a hold of herself. Panicking wasn't going to get her past the gate or bring her closer to Dom. She stepped back, trembling with cold and fear. She drew a breath, feeling like an intruder in this silent world. The she noticed something.

The space between two of the gate bars was wide enough for her to slip through.

It took but a moment to do exactly that. Flecks of rust clung to her rain-soaked dress, but Ginny hardly gave notice. Slowly, she made her way toward the castle, down the wide crumbling stone path. Over grown gardens and gnarled old trees lined the path, creating patches of shadow that loomed and heightened her fear. With each step the castle loomed closer, bigger, more terrifying. Lightening struck again, illuminating her path. In the light of the storm, the castle shone, as if made of darkest ebony, absorbing the light.

All too soon, she was standing before the great ebony doors and Ginny raised a trembling hand. The just once tap the door swung open. Ginny jumped. She swallowed hard and pushed the door aside, cringing at the slow whining creak. Shaking with fear, she stepped inside.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

"Hello?"

Merric peered over the railing of the second floor balcony, invisible to the intruder. The girl was exhausted, from the look of her. Her rain-darkened hair hung loose and ragged, her clothing soaked, dripping on the floor, her stance rigid from cold or fear he did not know. Probably both. He could see how she trembled. Her eyes, wide with fear, darted all around her.

She was a pretty thing, despite her haggard appearance. Merric mentally shook himself. He hadn't seen a female in three thousand years. Perhaps is the Master didn't want her…

Thousands of years worth of memories crowded into his mind. Anger curled in his gut. He'd been locked in this castle, bound to its inhabitants until the One who will Save arrived. Of Ethane's royal household, only he had been kept awake, alive by some ancient magic. The rest slept where they stood, alive but inanimate. There had been other masters, other beasts. The mangled bodies of men and women who trespassed over Ethane's sacred threshold had been given to him to care for, the only living creatures he would see for a long time.

When this was all over, when the beast fell in love with then girl, he would be given what he was due. The kingdom of Ethane would finally be his! With the ancient kings of old decaying in the ground, the rule of Ethane was left in his hands. As Steward, he was charged with the well-being of this country, as forsaken as it was. When the spell was broken, he would take the throne that was rightfully his. He may not have royal blood running through his veins, but he had given more than enough of himself to deserve such a reward as the crown to the kingdom.

Now all that stood in his way was one little spell: Only when the Master loved and was loved in return would the spell be lifted.

"Hello?" The girl's feeble call drew his attention away from the past. For just a moment, he allowed his time hardened heart to soften toward the girl. She might just be his deliverer after all. If things went according to plan.

With a snap of his finger, candles around the room lit with a loud crack, startling her. He stepped into the light, drawing her gaze. "My lady?"

Her knees nearly gave out at the sight of the man. Her heart pounded as he approached. "What…who are you?"

"Do not be alarmed, my lady. I will not hurt you." He raise his hands briefly in pace and walked slowly down the red-carpeted, dusty, grand staircase illuminated by the sudden candlelight. "May I ask for your name?"

Ginny eyed him as he made his way toward her. His large black eyes watched her, his mouth curved in a tiny smile as if he knew something she did not. His skin was pale, his hair dark and long, pulled back into an old fashioned horsetail. She shivered at the pinpricks of unease at the back of her neck. Her eyes narrowed. "Ginny," she whispered.

The man bowed, every inch the courteous gentleman. Ginny frowned. What was a man like him doing in a castle in the middle of nowhere? None of this made sense.

"You may call me Merric, Lady Ginny. May I show you to your rooms?"

Ginny blinked. "My rooms? Oh, no. I'm not here to stay. I'm looking for someone. Two someones. I can't stay. I have to look for them."

Merric raised a brow. "Friends?"

Ginny nodded. "Yes. One is about my age. The other is much older."

Merric frowned. An old man had passed into Ethanian territory not two weeks ago. The Fairy had deemed him unfit to care for Ethane's wellbeing. But such a trespass was not to be taken lightly and so, she had condemned him to spend the rest of his life chained to a wall in bowels of the castle. "Could you describe them to me? Perhaps they passed this way."

Ginny shivered, her teeth chattering. He knew something. She could feel it even through her exhaustion. "They're both taller than me. One has green eyes, dark hair. The older man has blue eyes and gray hair. Both were wearing dark breeches and plain tunics last I saw them."

Sensing the girl's lack of trust in him, Merric feigned interest. "When did you last see them?"

"A little over a week," she said softly, thinking it better to be vague than give all the specifics. A sudden crash echoed throughout the solemn castle followed by a haunting roar.

Ginny gasped, backing away.

Merric merely sighed. "That would be the master of this castle. Perhaps it'd be best for you to take a seat in one of the parlors off this main hall to wait out the storm before you set out again. Please excuse me. I'll be but a moment." Without waiting for a response, he hurried down a hall to her left.

She stayed still a moment, her heart hammering against her chest. The feral screams rang out again. Almost against her will, her feet began moving toward the sound, following the path Merric had taken. Torchlight led her down a long winding hall and down a wide staircase covered by thread-bare carpets and cobwebs. Spiders and other insects crawled across her path. She nearly turned back. She pressed on.

Finally, voices stopped her at the end of the stair.

"Sire, I must inform you that we have company." She recognized Merric's voice, his mild countenance gone. Hidden by shadow, she slipped into the room, keeping to the dark corners. She watched silently, afraid, as he walked over to an alcove bathed in shadow.

"A visitor?"

The second voice startled her. Deep and husky, more animal than human. She glanced around the room. Broken pieces of furniture and stone lay everywhere, creating a maze of debris. Claw marks raked the walls, the floors. A large glass window stood shattered at the far end, letting in the cold wind and rain.

"Yes, a visitor," Merric continued. "A young woman." The second being froze at the Merric's words. "You're behavior has frightened her."

Ginny fought to breathe.

"What is she doing here?" the voice demanded.

"She got lost and sought refuge."

A low growl. "Tell her to get out."

Merric stepped forward. "But, sire…"

"GET HER OUT OF HERE!"  
Ginny gasped and stepped back, preparing to run, but slipped on a piece of debris. Her foot slipped out from under her, sending her flailing to the floor. She flung an arm out to steady herself, grabbing onto a thick chain connected to the wall. She fell hard, the latch breaking from the decaying wall. The chain flew out of her grasp.

A tarnished glass chandelier fell from the ceiling, crashing into a million pieces. Ginny cowered against the wall, wincing, crying as bits of glass nicked her skin. Footsteps, too heavy to be human echoed along the walls, sending shivers through her body.

Too terrified for tears, she pushed herself closer to the wall, trembling, covering her head with her hands. Stone fell around her, crashing and falling, shaking the walls all around her. Dimly, she heard Merric's voice, calling out to someone.

Then it stopped. The crashing. The voices. All was silent.

Ginny dared to open her eyes. The torches has been extinguished. The only light in the room came from several slits in the ceiling, opening to the dark sky, dripping run-off rainwater. It was a maze of light…

Something moved between the light beams. Something huge. She nearly fainted with fear. Her heart pounded. Her breath came out in ragged gasps as she forced herself to breathe.

"Who are you?"

Ginny froze, not daring to move.

A paw, belonging to a great animal, shot out of the darkness. Ginny screamed, but the hand was quicker than her feeble attempt to escape. It grabbed a hold of her and hauled her to her feet. Her head snapped back at the force of it, blinded by the pain. The animal's fur made her sneeze and, when she was able to focus, the light captured features that were foreign, human, animal.

She began to sob with fear as she looked up into the face of her captor.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

The anima's grip on her ironclad, girl and beast stood silently, in awe, in fear, in anger, bathed in moonlight. And beast it was. Over seven feet in height, its shadow seemed to fill the room, engulfing everything in sight. Thick, unkempt, brown fur covered it from its beat-like paws to its horned head down to its wolf-like fear. There was nothing human about it.

"My Lord?" Merric's voice broke through the haze of fear and confusion. "My Lord, please?"

The beast growled low in his throat. Startled, Ginny looked up into its eyes. Silver-lined green eyes. Human eyes. With human anger. And human disbelief.

It blinked, and suddenly, its grip on her arm loosened and set her on the floor. It stared at her in confusion as she pulled away, breathing hard. As if her grip caused him pain, he tore himself away from her.

"I'm sorry, Ginny," it rasped. "I'm so sorry. I won't hurt you." With a low growl, it turned and stumbled from the room.

Ginny sank to her knees and burst into tears. She felt Merric approach her, placing a hand on her shoulder, but there was nothing but terror now. Nothing but darkness. Curling into a ball, she gave into her fear.

* * *

Her name was Ginny. Guinevere. Ginny. She lived in a cottage. Near town. With family. The beast paced his study, his large clawed feet pounding the floor beneath him, causing ripples in the windows overlooking his land. Most days this study offered him a comfort he didn't find anywhere else in the castle. The books lining the shelves were dusty and old, written in languages long forgotten. When stoked, the ivory fireplace acted as a source of heat for the large room. Ancient carpets littered the floor and tapestries, dulled with age, hung on the wall.

Most days this study offered him comfort, but not today.

Her face. Beauty. Friend. He knew her. She was familiar, but…

His mind reeled. Dizzy, the beast lurched to his seat by the empty fireplace. The sun fell and rose again though he gave no thought as to its existence. He couldn't revive any memories. The ones he had angered him. His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"WHAT!?" he roared.

The door opened and Merric entered. "My lord, I was wondering what you mean to do with the girl."

The beast stared at his manservant. What _was_ he going to do with the girl?

* * *

"I do not allow anyone to leave this castle."

Ginny huddled in the corner of the room, hiding in shadows. She'd awakened some hours before, believing her experience to have been a dream. The realization that it was not had brought on another onslaught of tears. She was trapped, alone, but for a single visit from Merric who brought her food and drink. Taking a shuddering breath, she swallowed hard, struggling to gather her courage. Seeing the master of the castle in broad daylight did little to help her.

The beast glanced around the cold room. Nothing had changed. Furniture still lay splayed across the room, splintered and broken. Sunlight fell into the room, casting dark shadows over the girl, accentuating the purple bruising beneath her eyes. A foreign stab of sympathy pierced his heart and he whispered, "Don't be afraid."

Ginny stared at him. _Not be afraid?_ Her legs trembled to hold her up. "I'm not," she lied. The fangs jutting from his jaw were even more frightening in the brightness of day.

His eyes were cold as he repeated his first statement. "I allow no one to leave this castle. No one has for thousands of years. Do not expect to be the exception." He turned to leave, his monstrous shadow filling the room. "Follow me."

Ginny scrambled to her feet, clutching the rotting stone wall to brace herself on unsteady legs. "Where are you taking me?"

He glared back at her and growled. Ginny trembled under his glare, looking at the ground. "Follow me," he ground out. With a sick feeling in her stomach, she took a step to follow him. Just as her leg began to crumple beneath her weight, she realized she hadn't eaten in two days. Her stomach rumbled loudly, and suddenly she felt faint with hunger. The dust and grime and insects swarming around her, combined with her stomach hunger made her sick.

Swayed, dizzy, and stumbled. Before she hit the floor, the animal's arm swept under her. She clutched at his fur, too sick to feel afraid, as her head spun and her stomach rolled. "MERRIC!" His voice jarred her, as she realized he had picked her up and cradled her in his arms. She felt his rapid heartbeat against her temple, his musty, warm scent filling her nose. Under her fear and uncertainty, he fascinated her. He could squash her with one hand, yet carried her like a porcelain doll. Her head swimming, it didn't make sense. She closed her eyes tightly against a wave of nausea.

She didn't notice as Merric arrived, stoic and in control. She didn't notice as he led his master up flights of stairs. She didn't notice the worried look in the green eyes of the monstrous beast that held her gently close. Her only recollection was of being laid on a cushion of pillows and thick blankets.

She opened her eyes to find the beast standing over her, huge and threatening, blocking out all sunlight. She screamed and cowered away from him.

A low growl escaped from this throat, telling her he hadn't missed her revulsion. He disappeared from her view and slammed the door behind him. A moment later, his ferocious feral cry filled the castle.

* * *

Rain fell sharply against the window, waking Ginny. Her head hurt much less, thanks to Bella's tea before bed. Smiling sleepily, she thought she'd might ask her sister to make some more.

And then she remembered.

"NO!" she cried, sitting up. "No, no, no!" Tears threatened, but she forced them back. Crying wasn't going to help. Clenching her fists, she fought back last night's memories and looked around the room for the first time. Windows lined two of the red walls, letting in streams of gray light, bordered in heavy white linen curtains yellowed with age and dust. The bed she sat on was large and dominated the room. From a run connected to the high ceiling hung sheer red and white cloth that fell to the ground, surrounding the bed in a mist of dull color. Various shades of red decorated the covers and pillows.

The carpet had once been white, she surmised, but now lay yellow, matted, forgotten. A wooden wardrobe sat conspicuously in the corner of the room, unpolished, one door hanging off its hinge. Nothing else but a small bedside table occupied the room. It wasn't large, but just seeing the everyday objects made Ginny think of home, sending wave after wave of homesickness over her.

She heaved herself off the bed, and walked over to one of the numerous windows and pushed aside the faded curtains. She sighed and pressed a hand over the cold glass pane. The wind whipped the rain against the window, blurring her vision of the outside world.

A tear slid down her cheek.

_Oh Dom! Come and find me._

_I'm over here._

_Where?_

_Come fine me!_

All was silent. The memory faded. Dom had saved her that day. She had been six years old and had gotten caught in a tree. Her mother had warned against it, but little Ginny had decided she could do anything Dom could do. So she went and got stuck in a tree until, Dom, laughing had climbed up and helped her down.

Ginny pulled herself away from the memories to answer the knock on her door. She went to it but stopped short of opening it. She hesitated.

The knock sounded again. Steeling herself, she opened it a crack. Merric stood there and bowed slightly. Ginny opened the door a little more. "Yes?" her voice trembled.

He looked at her with dark eyes. "I thought you might be hungry and have prepared a meal for you in the dining hall."

Ginny needed no further encouragement. She opened the door further, moving to follow him. He held up a hand.

"My lady, might you wear some other garment?" He gestured to her dirty, tearstained skirts and blouse.

"I have nothing else," she said softly.

"Might you try the wardrobe? You might find something appropriate?"

"What does it matter?" she asked, suddenly defiant. These were the last remnants of home she had. She was not going to part with them easily.

Merric gave her a small smile. "The master will be joining you and he asked that you make yourself presentable." Hiding a smile at the look on her face, he turned to leave. "I will return shortly to escort you."

Ginny stared after him before closing the door to his retreating footsteps. Scowling, she glared at the wardrobe. Flinging the doors open, she was surprised to find a variety of well-kept colorful gowns. Reaching out a hand, she fingered the thick velvet of a dark blue gown trimmed in silver. There a yellow taffeta. A purple silk. Colors and jewels and beauty perfectly preserved in this decaying prison. How could this possibly happen?

She noticed a group of small drawers to the side of the wardrobe. Pulling one open, she gasped. Diamonds. Lots of them. Necklaces, rings, bracelets, coronets, it was all there, hastily thrown together, but fit for a queen. Ginny pulled out a string of the priceless gems with trembling fingers, more confused than ever. The gems sparkled in the dim light, sending faint rainbows across the room.

Placed the jewels back with a careful hand, she opened another drawer. This one revealed a small leather bound journal, curled and yellowed from previous use. Taking it out, she opened it to the first page.

_Queen Dinah of Eden-ethane_

_326 C.E._

_Dragonmaid_

Ginny frowned. "Dragonmaid?" She'd heard stories of the mountain maidens, protecting the lost kingdoms of Eden and Ethane from the ancient armies of the Sennas. Bedtime stories to amuse children. She flipped forward a couple pages.

_The Great War has ended and still the Sennas attack. Small pockets of Eden and Ethane are breaking off. Even when peace is within our grasp we can barely hold onto that which we hold dear. Gabriel has taken a small army to the Northern border in hopes of ending the war once and for all. _

_How I wish I could join him. My fingers itch to grasp Asher's reins and fly to help my husband. But with little Damon and another on the way, there is no place for me in a battle....._

Ginny swallowed hard. Could this be? The date was correct. This castle seemed old enough. Was she sitting in the palace of the kings and queens of old? She fingered the gowns again. Did Queen Dinah wear these gowns? According to the stories she had given birth to three daughters. Had this been one of their rooms? She glanced around. What had happened to this place? The kingdoms of Eden and Ethane? She knew there had been a battle…the Great War…

Frowning, she took the journal to the window where she had more light and continued reading.

* * *

He paced the length of the room, all four paws beating the rug in a hurried cadence. A low grumble escaped from his throat. Patience was not the strongest point of his rugged personality. Already the girl-stranger had upset his entire life. He'd been perfectly content to live alone, with Merric to serve him, to wait for death. He wanted nothing else. He had been content to believe that no maiden would find this hidden castle. He had been content to live and die alone.

And then this girl appears out of nowhere and he finds his precious rose beginning to wilt! Hope had begun to invade his life and that hope brought fear and uncertainty. He didn't know how to deal with it. Foreign feelings washed over him. He was more restless than ever.

Nor was he encouraged. He had seen the revulsion in her eyes. He had seen her fear. How was she ever to love him if she was deathly afraid of him?

A low growl of self-loathing rumbled from his chest. He lifted his paws, his clawed hands. He grimaced, looking away. He has smashed all the mirrors in this place a long time ago, hoping to forget his outward appearance. Hoping to forget the sharp fangs, the furred skin, the heavy muscles, the menacing brow, the horns. If he could just forget…

…maybe it would go away.

And she could love him.

And he could finally be free.

* * *

Merric's voice jolted her from the riveting account of Queen Dinah of Eden-ethane. "Are you ready, my lady?" he called from behind the door.

"Almost!" she called, startled. "One moment." Scowling she returned to the wardrobe and replaced the diary. Grabbing a the dark blue velvet gown in silver trim, she hurried to undress. Hurriedly, she loosened her hair, ran her hand through the tangles and braided it once again, wrapping it around her head once and tucking it securely in place. At the back of her mind, she wondered why she was bothering at all.

The knock sounded again. "My lady? The master does not like to be kept waiting." Slipping her boots on once again (she figured the dress was long enough to cover them and the beast wouldn't notice), she flung open the door, her face flushed.

Merric stepped back, amused. Ginny put a self-conscious hand to her hair. "What?"

He merely smiled. "The master will be pleased." He turned. "This way."

She flushed, and nearly tripped over the heavy skirt as she followed the manservant.

She followed Merric down a series of long winding halls, all decaying and covered in filth. Long thin streams of green and white moss hung from the stones and slime stains patterned the stone with mold. Critters and insects skittered across their path every now and then. Looking down at her pristinely clean gown, she couldn't help but wonder at it. If this castle was in such disrepair, how had a gown, hundreds of years old, survive such decay?

Leaving the thought for a later moment, her eyes were wide as she glanced at her surroundings. The apparent age and size of the castle amazed and intimidated her. Her father's family had lived in their small cottage nestled in the woods for over a century and never once had Ginny ever heard of an ancient castle hidden in the forest.

For a long while, as Merric led Ginny through the castle, the only sound echoing was that of her boots on the gray stone floor and the drip-drop of slime. He stopped at the end of a long hallway and opened a door to her left. He stepped inside.

"The master is waiting."

It took all of Ginny's willpower to keep from running. All thoughts but those of fear suddenly flew from her mind. She took a breath, and hesitated for so long, Merric all but pushed her into the room.

The dining room was the most beautiful she had ever seen, a complete contrast to the rest of the castle. Cloths of gold covered the chairs and the floor. Freshly polished crystal tableware decorated the gold and ivory tablecloth. The window shut out the cold rainy day with thick scarlet curtains.

"My lord?" Merric called from behind her.

The beast stood at one of the windows, the curtain pulled aside. Every inch of his body radiated impatience and loathing. Ginny suddenly knew a moment of terror. There was no food on the table. She put a hand to her throat where her pulse beat wildly against her fingers.

Did the beast intend to eat her?!


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Moments after her terrified and irrational reaction, Merric uncovered the numerous silver platters that Ginny, in her fear, had neglected to notice. Scents of roasted ham, poached eggs, and various fruits met her nose and she greedily sucked in air, as if that were sustenance enough. When she remained standing, sucking in air, Merric walked to her and offered his arm, leading her to the chair opposite the beast.

She sat still for several moments. Silverware clinked together as the beast dove into the meal. Red wine sloshed in his glass, spilling all over him and the table. Food soon sat matted in his fur, on the table, on the floor. Ginny wrinkled her nose in disgust, frowning. The beast shoved food into his mouth, not caring how much actually made it to the huge cavity. Ginny began to feel queasy.

The beast noticed she wasn't touching her food. "What the matter?" he growled. "Don't you like eggs?"

Ginny flinched and gingerly took up her silver-plated fork and knife. She loaded a small bite of salted eggs and a bit of ham onto her fork and slowly put it to her mouth. The beast nodded, satisfied. Ginny suddenly found she was ravenous. Ignoring the beast, she shoveled food into her mouth, taking care, however, not to be as messy as the beast.

After a few moments, she grabbed the pitcher of water and poured herself a glass before Merric could step in and help her. Putting the pitcher down, she caught the beast's glare. She froze. "What?"

His only answer was to deepen his scowl.

She bit her lip for a moment, then continued eating.

Merric stepped forward, "My lady, perhaps…"

"Leave us, Merric," the beast's voice boomed. Merric gave her an apologetic glance and removed himself from the room. Ginny shivered.

"Are you cold?"

She glanced up. "No."

The beast grunted. "Are you afraid?"

Ginny swallowed hard. "Yes."

"Why?"

Ginny blinked. Why? She just stared at him, incredulous.

"Can you speak?" His voice rang out, dripping with sarcasm. "Well? Can you? Or are you too good for the likes of me, my lady?" That made Ginny angry.

"Yes, I can speak," she muttered. "And I'm no inferior of yours."

He stared at her. "Don't you know who I am?"

Ginny shrugged, swallowing her fear. "No, nor do I care to."

The beast laughed, a loud long roar. "Well, there's some fire in the wench after all."

Ginny clenched her teeth, focusing on her eggs.

"Come now, little maiden, don't back down now. I've only just begun."

She bristled at his tone. He watched her, his eyes narrowed. She looked hurt, terrified, spirited. If he hadn't known himself better, he might have frightened by the regret that seared his chest at his harshness with her. _Might have. _He grunted and returned to his meal.

"When can I go home?"

He looked up, startled by her question. "I told you. No one leaves."

"But I'm no prisoner!"

He growled. "There are rules we all must follow." The beast's glare gave no room for argument.

She argued anyway. "You can't keep me here. I have to return home to my family."

"You should have thought about that before you stepped onto my land."

She found it difficult to breathe. "So, you're just going to keep me locked up? How dare you!"

The beast roared to his feet. "How dare _you_ to dictate how I run my home! I am the master of this castle and all within it obey _me_!"Ginny gasped and cowered back.

"Please," she whimpered in his shadow. "Let me go!"

The beast ignored her pleas. "Rule number one. Anyone caught trying to leave this place will be killed. Anyone," he snarled, undaunted by the tears streaming down her face. "Rule number two. If you want anything, ask Merric. Don't bother me. Ever." Each syllable enunciated his anger more and with each work Ginny shrank back. "Are we clear?"

Ginny glared at him, not bothering to hide her own anger. Throwing her delicate gold cloth napkin on the table, she pushed back her chair, the legs scraping the tiled floor, and stalked toward the door.

"GINNY!" The beast roared after her. "I did NOT dismiss you." Slashes of red crossed his vision at being dismissed so easily. Ginny froze halfway to the door and once again his chest nearly melted with the pain of guilt. He watched, clinging to his anger like a shield, as she clenched her teeth and walked slowly back to her seat. It was clear to see her fury, her terror, warring with each other.

Ginny sat rigidly still, barely eating more than a few bites. She fought back tears and anger, unable to stomach the loss of her dignity along with everything else.

He smirked and finished his meal quietly, taking his time, letting her sit there. He shoved his guilt away violently, reveling in her fury. And her tenacity. The girl, this pint of a girl, had survived almost two days without food or water and had just lost everything on account of him. And there she sat, holding her head high as she endured his anger and resentment.

He growled his contentment and continued to watch her. Strands of auburn hair had slipped from the braid that held it in place. He blinked, suddenly hit with a forgotten memory…

"_Hmm, I don't think the red one will go well with your hair, nor the purple one." He held up the cloths to her deep auburn curls. "Definitely not." He picked up an emerald green scarf. "Ah, what about this one?" _

_She shook her head. "You know I don't dance at the festivals. I have no need for scarves." _

_He pointed out the ones he wanted to the merchant."We'll take the green one and that cream colored one there. The one with the white stitching." He pulled a few coins out of his pocket and traded them for the cloths. _

_She grabbed his arm to stop him. "No. Please. I can't…you can't."_

_He laughed, patting her hand as he would a child's. "Sweetheart, I can do anything I please. And I please to give these to you as a gift. You never know when you might want to dance and when you decide that day has come, you won't have to scurry around to find proper dancing scarves."_

He blinked, swallowing hard. He knew her. Not just her name. He knew she didn't like to dance at festivals. In fact, she avoided them at all costs. He also knew…

He also knew…that…Try as he might, he couldn't remember anything else. Confused, he swallowed a gulp of wine. Had Merric mentioned all of this to him? No, he never spoke to Merric any more than necessary. These were his own memories. From before his exile. But how was that possible? He had inhabited this castle for hundreds of years under the witch's curse. Ginny's great-great-grandfather hadn't been alive at the time of his banishment.

He didn't want to think about it any longer. Glaring at the girl across from him, he fairly shouted at her to leave his sight, which she did with all haste, knocking over her chair in the process. Emotions he thought he had killed surfaced and flinched. Remorse. Regret. Sympathy.

_Dom._

The beast stood abruptly, not catching the whispered word. "Who's there?" It was a woman's voice, all ice and fire. "Show yourself! Ginny?"

_Dom._

The voice sounded again. The beast glanced around. It hadn't been Ginny's voice. It most certainly hadn't been Merric's. A single shiver of fear rolled down his chest. There was no one else in the castle.

The voice didn't sound again. The beast felt as though he had missed something important, as if some living memory had come and disappeared. He held his head in his hands, trying to remember, wracking his brain.

But nothing came. He didn't remember life before the castle. He couldn't remember a life outside this fortress. Everything was blank. All he knew was that he had been here or ages, for a lifetime and more. Except…

He remembered

A pond.

Ginny.

Ribbons.

Firelight.

Bits and pieces, fragments of someone else's life flooded him. He was drowning.

A rose.

A horse.

A woman in the forest.

The rose! The beast's eyes flew open. He flung his chair back, not bothering to notice the crash and shattering of wood that followed. Breathing heavily, his heart pounding, he raced to the northernmost tower, flinging unnecessary furniture and ceramic statues out of his way. The maze of hallways and corridors blurred past.

"_This I give you. I charge you with this perfect rose. The rose will wither as the One who will Save draws near. That is her true test. Unless she is willing to love a beast, to lose everything in favor of love, you will forever remain a beast, and Eden will be lost forever."_

The woman's warning seemed to echo off the walls, pounding in his brain, in his very bones. He burst through the rotting oak doors that led to his private study and stopped. There is was. Safe. Sound. Whole. Sitting in the middle of the room on a low table, where it had always stood, was a perfect blood red rose. Entombed in crystal, it shimmered in the morning light that spread from the distant mountains. Abstract rainbows slithered over the dark room.

The beast heaved a sigh. The rose appeared unchanged. For now. Of course, the thought occurred to him, he couldn't trust the notion that this untried girl was his "long lost true love." She couldn't be. Please with his logic, the beast almost didn't notice the scratch of noise behind him. A noise that shouldn't be there.

He whirled, glaring around the room, perfectly silent. Only broken furniture and ripped paintings, evidence of his awesome rage, met his gaze. He turned his head. Something wasn't right. He turned his back on the room and entered a side hall, searching. Waiting.

The rooms were filthy. Shredded sofas lay everywhere and bits and pieces of cloth from the surrounding curtains hung everywhere, covering chandeliers and littering the floor. Two of the large windows were cracked beyond repair, while the remaining three were dirty enough to conceal much of the gray light that trickled in.

There! A shadow. The beast froze, waiting for the attack. He heard a footstep. Another. Another and he lunged from his hiding place and grabbed the intruder by the neck, bellowing a ferocious growl.

"My lord! My lord, stop!"

The beast dropped his hands with a growl, his eyes glowing daggers. "Merric," he growled low in his chest. "What are you doing?"  
Merric stepped back, visibly shaken. "The…the girl…she's…"

"SHE'S WHAT!?"

"She's gone."

He bellowed his fury.

* * *

Ginny ran hard. She ran harder and faster than she'd ever run before. Her lungs burned and a harsh wind, the last remnant of the recent rainstorm tore at her dress. Branches struck her arms, her face, the ground slick under her feet. Her breaths came out in terrified gasps. She had to get back home! She had to get back! That place…it was worse than her darkest nightmares, haunted by a hideous beast and an eerie manservant. She hadn't even returned to her room before bolting after breakfast. She would leave the beast in his hell and return home.

She refused to realize that she had no idea which way home was. She looked for familiar territory but found only a darkening forest. She turned to look behind her for the hundredth time. The beast wasn't following her.

Not watching where she was going, she tripped over a raise tree root, catching herself as she fell into a thick mud puddle. Suddenly, she was too tired, too cold to move, to even consider moving. Breathing hard, she let the tears come, and sobbing, she lay there for what seemed like hours.

_No one leaves this castle. _His words followed her, freezing her heart. Maybe death was better than life inside that prison. Maybe…

Ginny froze at the sound of a twig snapping.

There it was again. Fear stopped her tears.

A growl. Footsteps. The crack of a branch. Something was trailing her. Something big. Slowly, ever so slowly, she sat up and looked around her, wiping mud from her skin. There was nothing there.

Yes, there was. Ginny caught the scream in her throat. A wolf, crouched low in the barren bushes, snarled quietly behind her. Its fur was dark as shadow. She wouldn't have seen it but for the dim sunlight that played through the forest canopy. Its yellow-gold eyes glittered.

She thought only one question before it charged: How many more were there?

The forest erupted with the sounds of the charging predator, and Ginny let out a terrified scream. Out of instinct, she rolled just as the wolf reached for her. The animal hit the mud puddle and slid, crashing into a nearby tree.

The wolf lunged, catching a chunk of her dress between its teeth. It snarled and lurched back before striking again. Ginny strained to get away, crawling, her fatiguing muscles straining as she waited for the attack. The wolf attacked once more, landing squarely on Ginny's shoulders, forcing her to the ground and knocking the breath out of her lungs. Ginny fought for breath as the wolf gnawed at her dress. His teeth ripped the delicate clothing, her fangs leaving gashes across her skin. With a whoosh of air, she found the breath to scream. The weight of the wolf was crushing her. Her left shoulder shrieked in pain. The wolf's claws punched through her skin.

Suddenly, the wolf broke off its attack, circling around her, a vicious snarl of a smile on its grim terrible face. At the back of her mind, Ginny realized it was toying with her. Sobbing with pain and fear, Ginny pulled herself to her feet, slipping in the mud. She ran. She could hear the wolf's bellow behind her and ran harder, her wounds and injured shoulder protesting. She wove in and out of the trees, searching frantically for something, ANYTHING!, that would give her an advantage.

Finally, she stopped, her chest on fire. She had come into a clearing, to the edge of a plateau, the ground dropping off not two feet in front of her. She spun, blood dripping from a deep gash in her arm. The wolf was still charging, but it had slowed, eventually coming to a stop at the edge of a forest several yards away.

She was trapped. She looked over her shoulder. Plummeting to her death was surely a much better way to die than being torn to shreds by razor sharp teeth. Warily she turned her gaze back to the wolf. Maybe it would turn away. Maybe it would…

No, she saw the gleaming hunger in its eyes and knew that in the next few moments she was going to die.

The wolf lunged, snarling, its sharp teeth bared. Ginny could only watch in horror as the wolf moved so fast her vision blurred. Then, in a shock of instinct, she ducked, flattening herself to the ground. There was a rush of wind as she felt the wolf sail over her and the animal's squeal of surprise as it fell, plummeting several hundred feet to a bed of rocks below.

Ginny lay terrified and bleeding in the sudden silence. All she heard was the whistle of the wind in her ears, the distant roll of thunder. She swallowed hard. Long seconds passed before she dared to move. As she pushed herself to her knees, she heard a terrible crunching sound. Glancing around, she looked for the wolf or whatever unearthly creature life saw fit to send her next.

Instead, she was surprised to find herself being lowered, the ground beneath her giving way. The slab of earth she sat on slowly and steadily began to separate from the cliff, starting its long tumble to join the wolf in the jagged deathbed below.

Ginny scrambled for a hold. Her left arm protested as she heaved herself toward solid ground. Just as she threw herself over the widening gap, a loud resounding snap clapped through the air and the bit of earth she had previously lain on fell.

Breathing hard, she listened for the fall. The loud thump and consequent crumbling did little to assuage her fear and pounding heart. She pushed herself closer to the forest, further from the edge of the clearing. Her heart pounding, she leaned up against a tree and cried. She sat there for what seemed like hours, listening for every sound, analyzing every shadow until her nerves were in tatters. She must have fallen asleep eventually, for she was woken as a pair of arms lifted her from the ground and she was enveloped in a thick musky scent. Out of her mind with fear, she screamed and struggled, jolted when the stranger roughly handled her injured arm. Darkness came to claim her as pain made her see red. She settled back into the darkness, grateful for the peace that was offered. If this was death, she'd take it gladly.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Merric watched the beast carry the girl toward the fireplace, impatience curling in the pit of his stomach. His master couldn't fall in love if the girl was going to risk her life! He clenched the rail of the balcony until his knuckled were white. He wanted this to be over. Have them fall in love and be done with it, removing the couple to their precious farms, Merric to his rightful kingdom.

Too bad, Merric thought grimly. Even scraped up and cover in mud the girl was beautiful. If his future didn't depend so much on her falling in love with someone else, he might have gone after her himself. They would have made a handsome couple, ruling Ethane together, king and queen. As it was…

The beast laid the girl on the settee before the already stoked fire. Even from here, Merric could see that her breath was shallow and uneven. Blood seeped slowly from a large gash in her left forearm and from numerous puncture wounds in her back and abdomen. Her shoulder was twisted in an awkward angle. Merric was sure it was dislocated.

As he watched the beast, the room suddenly dipped and spun. Merric blinked hard, rubbing his eyes. Nausea rolled his stomach and he fought to keep from dropping to his knees. The room flared with a light so incredibly bright, the very edges of time disappeared. He was left standing, surrounded in white, shading his eyes as the beast and his palace disappeared.

After a moment, the blinding brightness ebbed just enough, allowing Merric to open his eyes without pain. There was nothing around him but light, pure white light. Nothing. No one.

Except the woman.

Merric couldn't believe his eyes. He bowed low to the woman who had placed Ethane under its terrible curse all those centuries ago. "Mistress."

The woman didn't move. Her eyes stared at him, glowing with her ancient power. It was a long time before she spoke. "The seed has been planted."

Merric winced. Hers was a voice that shouldn't be heard by human ears. He shook his head, as much to clear it as to show he didn't understand. "The seed? My lady?

She continued as though she hadn't heard him. "With life, comes death." She paused. "Your death."

Merric shook his head again, not understanding.

She didn't blink, didn't move, didn't seem to breathe. They were surrounded by an eerie silence, broken only by the woman's words and Merric's harsh breathing. "As guardian of this castle and the monster that resides within, I need remind you that your life is forfeit once the spell is broken."

Merric paled. "What are you saying?"

She frowned, her blue eyes blazing. "Have you forgotten? No Steward may rule whilst a King resides."

"There is no king!" Merric cried. "The last king died over a thousand years ago."

"But his line was not destroyed."

Her indifferent tone irritated him. "This country should be mine," he said slowly, his voice deadly calm. "The Old Kings' line was destroyed! There are no descendents!"

"You forget your place, Steward!" The woman raised her hands and light exploded from them as she brought the full force of her power down on him. Merric barely emitted a small gasp as he was forced to his knees, kept off his face only by trembling forearms. "The Old Kings' line was not destroyed, for Dominic of Ethane lives and breathes as you do. His ancestry is rich and full, hidden away from public view too long. I have waited for this day," she lowered her voice to a whisper, not easing Merric's burden. "I have waited for day a son of the ancient line would rise up and take his rightful place. The time is ripe for new beginnings."

She lowered her hands and Merric found he could breathe normally again. He sat up, still on his knees as he watched the woman who had created his destiny.

"A life to give life. Should the spell be broken, should the One Who Will Save come forth, you will join the Old Kings in death and open the way for a new generation."

Merric clenched his teeth in anger. "So you'd take away everything I have built? Everything that I have lived for? Three thousand years I have…"  
"You have done nothing, Steward! It was not by your power that you were kept alive. It was not by your power the beasts were created. It was not your power that keeps you alive now." Her eyes narrowed. "I would not be so quick to anger me if I were you. You have been a good and faithful servant, but I will not leave my kingdom in the hands of one such as you."

Merric shouted curses at her even as terror ran through him. "You took my life from me!" he bellowed. "Everything I had is gone. I have poured what is left of my life into this kingdom and now you seek to take it from me?" He rasped for breath. She watched him carefully, fury building in her eyes. "The beast and the girl should give their lives to me! How is it that I am expected to give them more?"

The woman didn't flinch at his outrage. When she spoke, however, her voice shook with wrath of her own. "Should the beast and the lady recognize their love, the spell will be broken and the rightful king will take the throne. Your life for his life. I will take nothing less."

Merric screamed.

And the light was gone.

* * *

She screamed. Pain. Searing hot pain ripped through her shoulder. She tried to cry out, but she couldn't find her voice. Something was wrong. She tried, but failed to open her eyes. She felt as though she had been buried under a mountain of stones and then rolled across a never ending valley of razor edged daggers.

Struggling past the waves of nausea, she finally managed to open a heavy eyelid. Her vision blurred, unable to make out any identifying feature. A harsh scent crept over her and she began to feel as though she were drowning in it. The pain in her shoulder began to increase, rapidly.

Where was she? What had happened? She should be at home, but she didn't remember taking a fall. Had she been fallen while hiking with Dom again?

She succeeded in opening both eyes, an action she regretted as she was suddenly aware of all, including pain like she'd never felt before. A blurred figure, huge and dark and bulky bent over her, a thick green substance in its hands. Her head began to swim and she was vaguely aware of someone trying to calm her down. Her vision began to darken. She tried to force the shadows back.

* * *

The beast sighed in frustration and stepped back, letting the girl find her surroundings. She whimpered and tossed back and forth. Sympathy and another foreign emotion surged through him. He gingerly smoothed the damp hair off of her forehead, taking care not to jostle her.

Three days had passed since he'd brought her back. He had raged at Merric to fix her. He had thrown chairs, overturned tables. He was angry. Angry that she would try to leave him. Furious that she would deceive him. It had taken him hours to calm down and return to her. He had expected to enter the room and give her a piece of his mind, and demand she never leave the castle again as punishment only to find Merric stitching up a long deep gash in her arm.

She had been in such a terrible state, he hadn't been sure she would last the night. Merric had washed the thick layer of mud from her skin and gotten her out of her wet clothes, leaving only her shift and underclothes. He had helped Merric stitch up the wounds in her back and bandage a few more shallow gashes along her sides. He couldn't forget the sound of the thick crunch as he had relocated her disjointed shoulder. She had come down with a heavy fever not long after and had spent the last three days unconscious, shivering despite the heat of the raging fire and terribly sick.

"Dom....Dom …."

He looked at her sharply, expecting to find her wide awake. Instead, her eyes were closed, her fists clenched, sweat pouring down her temples. Who was Dom? She continued to mumble that name with such heartbreaking sadness, the beast felt his own emotions stir.

Anger still burned at the edges of his vision, but he was nearly overwhelmed with the desire to care for this fragile girl-child.

"Ginny?" he whispered, leaning down close. "Ginny, can you hear me? You're in my palace. With me and Merric." She cried out as she tried to open her eyes. He could see she was in terrible pain. He had tried to apply the sticky green poultice Merric had prepared for her wounds, but found his paws too big and hulking to be of any use. Taking great care, he lifted her off the settee and into his arms, cradling her against his chest to warm her.

Slowly, her shaking subsided. A chip of ice melted from his heart when she turned and nestled her head against his shoulder. He sat without moving, listening to her heartbeat, careful not to nudge her shoulder.

Well after midnight of the third day, her fever broke. Color returned to her cheeks and she breathed normally for the first time in days. The beast never once left her side, watching her sleep. With the stillness came a realization he hadn't before fathomed, and a fear, a deep unseated fear he couldn't explain.

* * *

She was warm. Comfortable. Light from a nearby window pooled over her features, making her smile. She should get up and help Emma with breakfast. A hot cup of coffee and a thick slice of homemade bread sounded wonderful to her. Her stomach growled as if in agreement.

Raising her arm to push back the covers, she stiffened with a gasp. Pain shot down her side.

"Don't move yet. Your arm still needs to heal."

The voice was deep and rough. "Papa?" she whispered, her voice thick from disuse. She opened her eyes. At the sight of the hulking mass that was the beast, she closed her eyes again as everything came back to her.

"No." The word came out in a long whine, full of pain. "No! Oh, please no!"

The beast moved closer to her, unsure of what to do. "Ginny?"

"Take me back," she cried. "Take me back. I can't be here."

"Ginny, you're hurt. Don't get too upset. You might rip the stitches out."

The tone of his voice caught her unawares. She froze for a moment for it wasn't with the usual anger or biting resentment he spoke. Instead, his voice was coated with tenderness. She watched him with frightened grey eyes, struggling to understand.

He frowned. "You ran away."

She blinked. "You frightened me."

"So, you think you can take care of yourself out there? You nearly died!"

Anger curled in her chest, clearing away the fog that had held her mind. "What do you care? You're nothing more than an animal."

Instantly, she saw how deeply her words had cut him. He didn't answer for a long while, just stared at her with those unfathomable green and silver eyes. Their depths scared her, forcing her to look away, ashamed.

"You ran away," he said quietly, "into a forest you knew nothing about." Ginny could see he was struggling to hold in his temper.

She couldn't resist. "If it bothered you so much, you should have let me die!"  
The beast roared. "A few more hours and I wouldn't have been able to stop it!" She shrank back as his voice shook the walls. He glared at her, his eyes full of pain. "I saved you!" he shouted.

Ginny suddenly found it hard to breathe. Her eyes burned. He _had_ saved her. He hadn't left her to die.

A growl rumbling in his chest, he didn't take his eyes off of her. He gestured to her arm. "I should take another look at that."

She glanced down. Blood had seeped through the bandages. It was then that she noticed she was no longer in the gown she had worn when she left. The only things that clothed her were her shift, a pair of underwear and her breast band. As shredded as they were, she hurried to pull the covers over herself for modesty's sake but found it unbearably painful to move the arm that wasn't bandaged. She gasped in pain and fell back against the pillows.

The beast didn't move as he watched her struggle. When she fell back, tears in her eyes, he stepped forward and pulled the covers up over her chest. "You dislocated your shoulder. We'll put it in a sling when you feel up to it. Let me help you with that," he added, touching her bandaged arm with more gentleness than she had thought him capable.

Without looking at him, Ginny let him redress the wound. She hissed as the poultice he put on it stung or when one of his claws clumsily scraped the wound. He muttered an apology. When he was done he laid aside the supplies and turned away.

"Thank you," she whispered.

He glanced back once, a small smile stretching around his fangs. Her heart pounded at the look in his eyes. Sorrow and regret pierced her even as she saw those same feelings reflected in his face. He nodded and walked away.


End file.
